Monday, August 19, 2013

It's been quite some time since I have been able to sit down and take the time to write and let everyone know what's been going on behind the scenes here at DFH. Well, I finally have that time, so let's get to it...shall we?

We are heading towards our 5 year anniversary...yep, on September 2, DFH will be exactly 5 years old. Where did the time go? So many things have changed since that day way back when...it's really hard to wrap my brain around it all.

Looking back, things were so intimate in those days. I was able to spend countless hours chatting with mamas about dolls and orders. I was able to create a bond with so many wonderful women. Many of you are still here today so you know what I am talking about...it was a different time. As we all know time moves forward and things change...its just the natural order of things.

I think of DFH as a child of mine. As with all children there naturally comes a time when the child grows beyond the parents and starts living a life of its own. I can see this happening with DFH.

Today we have an actual brick and mortar studio space. We also have a whole team of ladies working away every day. Its pretty scary and pretty wonderful at the same time. These ladies depend on DFH to help them support and feed their families. They love that they are working, making an item whose sole purpose of existence is to make people happy. We love that we are able to give these folks jobs that pay a decent wage for their work. This is not a common thing these days. They work from home with nurslings and in the shop. These ladies are pretty dedicated.

I guess this brings me to a point I wanted to make...change and growth is natural and good. Our team of ladies (and guys) are all dedicated to doing the best job we can. We all want you to be happy with your dolls and critters. This is our number one goal.

Everyone is working hard all the time.

Jess has worked assembling doll bodies on multiple occasions while she was at the hospital with her toddler who had bout after bout of life threatening allergies for his entire first year. She spent many overnights quietly stitching away.

Lindsay has literally scalded her hands many times dying wefts trying to get the most perfect shade of color she can so she could help make a custom as close to perfect as she possibly could. She has come in on weekends and worked instead of spending time with her family.

Shelley, works pretty much all the time...she has a nursling and other children at home. She keeps your conversations straight and she even compiles the details in such a way so that I can see them and easily understand what we need to do. This is no small feat. She remembers minute details and reminds me of them when I forget one or two. She has sat and crocheted wigs, both custom and RTG, while her sweet baby snuggled up in a wrap on her. She and I have spent countless hours texting back and forth about details of customs...every day of the week...yes, including weekends. Just ask our families.

Robert works a full time job in IT for a major International bank. He sometimes works straight thru the night on projects, communicating with people all over the world. On top of this, he spends countless hours organizing the shop. It is his organizational skills that helps keep things flowing. He makes sure the right doll gets to the right place with the right details.

You might be asking...so then Nancy what exactly is it that you are doing since all these other folks are working so hard. I work every weekend for several hours each day sewing faces and finishing up customs and special dolls. I can tell you that it is indeed me and me alone who sews every face on a DFH doll. That has still not changed...and when it does, we will let you know....promise. On top of sewing and designing, my week is filled with trying to schedule, organize and coordinate everything and everyone. If one of the ladies is unable to finish something they are working on...I am the one who steps in and finishes that job. Anyone can tell you that standing and trying to talk to me usually involves my phone going off every few minutes...sometimes in rapid fire one after another. It is not unusual for me to be holding 4-5 conversations at one time. This is exactly why you do NOT want me being the one who organizes your custom details. All of this leaves precious little time for my own family...who we do still homeschool.

Each one of us does a particular job that is necessary...jobs that I simply cannot do on my own anymore.

I have said it before but it bears saying again...we are all dedicated...we only want to do a great job for you...we only want you to be happy.

That said, no one is perfect...there will always be times where something goes wrong or doesn't quite end up being exactly how someone envisioned it. No one can be perfect every time...we, after all are only human. It happened when it was only myself making dolls...it will happen with a team too.

Issues will pop up from time to time...that we all know.

When one does, all we ask is that you talk to us. We only want to make you happy. Let's not be quick to anger...we are only human. No one is perfect and no one has ever lived who has never made an error. Give us the chance to correct any issues before you get angry or irate. If you send a message and do not get an immediate response...hold on a wee bit and give us a chance to get back to you...sometimes we are busy with our families and sometimes we are busy trying to work things out for another customer...rest assured we will get back with you. Promise. We do not have a call center in India where folks can answer and respond 24 hours a day...what we have is a tiny team of hard working folks here in the US who occasionally do need to sleep or rest.

Growing is not an easy thing to do...these ladies are here to help me make you the doll you always wanted. There is a learning curve to communicating with folks. Give us the time to get that down....and please a little patience and the odd kind word would be extremely welcome. We are going to continue to grow. We are all excited to see where this journey leads us. Each new step will bring it's own unique challenges...we ask you to please be patient.

Know this...everyone here are DFH wants nothing more than to make sure you are happy with the dolls and critters we make. We take great pride in our work. Yes there will be glitches...as I have said, that is only part of being human. Please be patient and if there is an issue, simply communicate openly...then give us a chance to work it out.

We cannot thank you all enough for being along for this wild ride we are on..it will be fun to see where this takes us.